The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

A declaration about the Valley of Vision: What is the reason that you have all gone up to the housetops?

Is it so you may hear a city full of noises, a town full of revelry? Your dead were not killed with the sword, and they did not die in battle.

All your rulers fled away together, but they were captured without using a bow; all of them were captured together, though they had fled far away.

Therefore, I said, “Do not look at me, I will weep bitterly; do not try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

For there is a day of tumult, treading down, and confusion for the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, in the Valley of Vision, a breaking down of the walls, and people crying out to the mountains.

Elam takes up the quiver, with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir lays the shield bare.

It will come about that your choicest valleys will be full of chariots, and the horsemen will take their positions at the gate.

He took away the protection of Judah; and you looked in that day to the weapons in the Palace of the Forest.

You saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many, and you collected the water of the lower pool.

You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you tore down the houses to strengthen the wall.

You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not consider the city’s maker, who had planned it long ago.

The Lord, Yahweh of hosts called on that day for weeping, for mourning, for shaved heads, and the wearing of sackcloth.

But look, instead, celebration and gladness, killing cattle and slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.

This was revealed in my ears by Yahweh of hosts: “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you, even when you die,” says the Lord, Yahweh of hosts.

A Message for Shebna

The Lord, Yahweh of hosts, says this, “Go to this administrator, to Shebna, who is over the house, and say,

’What are you doing here and who gave you permission to cut out a tomb for yourself, hewing out a grave on the heights and carving out a resting place in the rock?’”

See, Yahweh is about to throw you, a mighty man, about to throw you down; he will grasp you tightly.

He will surely wind you round and round, and toss you like a ball into a vast country. There you will die, and there your glorious chariots will be; you will be the shame of your master’s house!

“I will thrust you from your office and from your station. You will be pulled down.

It will come about on that day that I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

I will clothe him with your tunic and put on him your sash, and I will transfer your authority into his hand. He will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; he will open, and none will shut; he will shut, and none will open.

I will fasten him, a peg in a secure place, and he will become a seat of glory for his father’s house.

They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and descendants, every small container from the cups to all the jugs.

On that day-this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts-the peg driven in a firm place will give way, break off, and fall, and the weight that was on it will be cut off-for Yahweh has spoken.

The burden of the valley of vision. What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops?

You that are full of shouting, a tumultuous city, a joyous town, your slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they dead in battle.

All your rulers fled away together. They were bound by the archers. All who were found by you were bound together. They fled far away.

Therefore I said, “Look away from me. I will weep bitterly. Don’t labor to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

For it is a day of confusion, and of treading down, and of perplexity from the Lord, the LORD of Armies, in the valley of vision, a breaking down of the walls, and a crying to the mountains.”

Elam carried his quiver, with chariots of men and horsemen; and Kir uncovered the shield.

Your choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen set themselves in array at the gate.

He took away the covering of Judah; and you looked in that day to the armor in the house of the forest.

You saw the breaches of David’s city, that they were many; and you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall.

You also made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you didn’t look to him who had done this, neither did you have respect for him who planned it long ago.

In that day, the Lord, the LORD of Armies, called to weeping, to mourning, to baldness, and to dressing in sackcloth;

and behold, there is joy and gladness, killing cattle and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.”

The LORD of Armies revealed himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord, the LORD of Armies.

A Message for Shebna

The Lord, the LORD of Armies says, “Go, get yourself to this treasurer, even to Shebna, who is over the house, and say,

‘What are you doing here? Who has you here, that you have dug out a tomb here?’ Cutting himself out a tomb on high, chiseling a habitation for himself in the rock!”

Behold, the LORD will overcome you and hurl you away violently. Yes, he will grasp you firmly.

He will surely wind you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a large country. There you will die, and there the chariots of your glory will be, you disgrace of your lord’s house.

I will thrust you from your office. You will be pulled down from your station.

It will happen in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,

and I will clothe him with your robe, and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit your government into his hand; and he will be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

I will lay the key of David’s house on his shoulder. He will open, and no one will shut. He will shut, and no one will open.

I will fasten him like a nail in a sure place. He will be for a throne of glory to his father’s house.

They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, every small vessel, from the cups even to all the pitchers.

“In that day,” says the LORD of Armies, “the nail that was fastened in a sure place will give way. It will be cut down and fall. The burden that was on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken it.”